Desk.



F. R. FEITSHANS.

DESK. 'APPLICATION 'FILED FEB.9,1916.

ff, l MM vFREDERICK n. FEITsHANs, or yLos ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

DESK.

Macnee.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mair., 27, 191i 7.

Application filed February 9, V1916. Serial No. 77,315.

To all lw-tom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK R. Fierr-v sHANs, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Los Angeles, in the county of Los d' My invention relatesto desks. There are v 110 Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in `Desks,

of which the following is a specification.

at the present time on'the market two general st andard forms of desk, generallydesig' nated as the flattop desk and the roll top desk. The flat top desk lis to all 'intents and purposes an ordinary table equipped with drawers, and the roll top desk is a similar table having sides projecting above the table surface, and a back provided with 4a rolling curtain which may be pulled outwardly and downwardlyto cover the top of the desk, the curtain being locked in place to form a closed compartment over the top of thedesk in which papers may be left'without fear of their being molested. While the roll top desks have been in use for a long Jtime, and are still standard in many offices, they are open tov several objections, the principal objection being the fact that the back and sides extend up- Wardly a considerable distance above the top or working surface of the desk, and tend to shut off the light, and greatly obstruct the view`of the person working at them, as well as hiding the person from the view of other people in the room.- A further objection to the ordinary roll top4 desks with pigeon holes is the tendency of the average user to le important papers therein, vthese personal files being liable to become confused, and in any case being accessible to others. To overcome the objections to the roll top desk many large corporations have adopted the flat top desk, this desk not obstructing the light or shutting out the view. The fiat top desk is, however, objectionable in that important papers must be gathered up wheneverthe user' leaves the desk, or must be I left in full view of any person who desires to inspect them.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a desk which will have practically all the advantages of a flat top desk, as to the practical absence of objectlonablestructure above the working surface, and which at the same time will be provided with a rollr ing curtain which may be pulled over and locked to hide papers lying on top of the desk,`should the user desire to do so. Letter trays and papers take up comparatively little vertical height, and it is possible `in my invlention to utilize a rolling curtain which me height, such er small height being amply suiiicient for containing any papers, letter trays, or the like.

It is very common practice to have on desks, telephones, lights, ink stands, or the like, which are much too high to go in such a small vertical space, and it is a further object of my invention to provide avfree. portion of the desk top, at the back thereof, which is not covered by the curtain, this free portion being utilized to contain lights, telephones, check protectors, dating stamps, or other appliances, which would be'too high to go inside the desk andv which at the same time are absolutely essential to the daily workof the user of the desk.

Further objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

In the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a desk equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the center of the desk, 'showing the method of securing and rolling upthe curtain.

, Figf3 is an alternate. form of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a small detail, showing the method of securing the curtain in the sides.

Fig. 5 is a sectionalview of the spring roller. l f

In the form illustrated in the drawings, the top or working surface l1 of the desk is supported on legs 12, the space below the top being filled with drawers 13 in any suitable arrangement,r that shown being more'or less standard. End panels 14.- and 15 are provided, these end panels having projections 16 which extend a short distance above' the top of the desk at either end thereof. .Grooves 17 are cut on the inner side of the projections 16, thesel grooves consisting of a central straight portion 18 and curved portions 19 and 20. In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, a box 2l is located inside'the desk below the top extending completely across the roller 27, turning freely, in the bearing 23.

26 of the box 21, and 27 is a curtain roller to which one end of a curtain28 is secured. A trunnion 29 is secured in one end of the A round rod 30 is rigidly secured in the 'bearing 24, extending into a cylindrical cavity 31 formed in the roller 27 which is provided with an end bearing 32 which turns freely on the rod 30. A spiral spring 33 is wound around the rod 30 inside the cavity 3l, one end thereof being secured by being passed through the rod 30 at the point 34, the other end thereof being secured to the bearing 32 at thepoint 35. The direction of winding of the spring 33 is such that it tends to roll the curtain 28 up in the manner shown in Fig. 2. One end of the curtain 28 being secured lto the roller 27, the other end is secured to a cross bar 40, this/cross bar extending completely across the desk inside the projections 16 and fitting into a cavity formed in the top 1l of the desk when'the desk is as shown in Fig. 2. The curtain 28 is formed of canvas or other flexible member 41 and a series of metal or wooden slats 42, the ends of the slats 42 projecting into the grooves 17 at either end in the same manner as the similar'4 members in an ordinary roll top desk. A lock 45 is provided for securing the cross bar 40 to the front edge 46 of the desk when the curtain vis drawn forward into the position shown in Fig. l.

It will be noted that afree space l47 is left at the back of the desk outside the curtain when the curtain is pulled into the closed position. This free space is used for holding atelephone, as shown at 48, or a desk lamp, as shown at 49. The desk laamp and telephone may, of course, have any height, or any of the other common oiiice appliances may be left standing on this free space.' The free space is very important in the actual operation of the desk, as pracf tically every office'worker has tools or appliances which would not go into the small space providedbelow the curtain 28 when lthe desk is closed.

In the 4forn of my invention illustrated in 3,'a'curtain 50 is shown, this curtain being secured at 51 to the underside of the top of the desk 52 and being provvided with a cross bar 53 which forms a ledge on the top of thedesk, no cavity being provided for it to fit-into. This arrangement of the curtain is somewhat cheaper 'to install than the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, but it can only be iused where the desk has a closed back which is in itself objectionable tosmany purchasers. T e ar-l rangement of the cross bar, shown a 53,y in Fig. 3, may be used with the type of curtain'shown in Fig. 2, if desired. The slight projection of the cross bar above. the flush surface of the top ofthe desk is pre- "vantages of a flat top desk, plus many of the advantages of the old and` now largely obsolete roll top desk.

Byv the use of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, an open back desk can be provided, or by using the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, a closed back desk can be provided.- In either case, the cross bar'53 can be used, forming a ledge to limit the backward movement of papers or other objects on top of the desk, and in either case the free space 47 may be left for carrying telephones, or other high objects. By the use of my in-` vention all the advantages of bothl types of desks are obtained, my type of desk promoting to a very great degree that high personal efliciency which is now one of the'objects of all organizations.

I .claim as my invention 1. In a desk; a fiat top having a slot at one side thereof, said slot being at least sufficiently far from the back of said top to allow a desk telephone or other device of similar proportions to' rest thereon; a pro' whole length of either edge, and being pro-l vided with grooves on the inner sides thereof, said grooves registering at one end wlth said slot and extending down at their forward end to? a point near said top; and a curtain sliding in said slot and said grooves. l 2. In a desk; a fiat top having a slot at onexside thereof, said slot being at least suili ciently far from the back of said top to allow al desk telephone or other device'of similar proportions to rest thereon; a pro jection at l'either end of saidtop, said projections extending u from said top a distance somewhat -less than the height of an ordinary telephone, extending along the whole length of either edge, and being-provided with grooves on the inne'sides theref of, said grooves-registering at one end with said slot and extending down at'their lforj ward end to a pointnear'said top; and 4a.

- iexible curtain extending through said slot to a point below said top, said curtain slid.- ing 1n and being guided by said grooves.l

3. In a desk; a flat top having a slot at l f one side thereof, said slot being atleast suiii ciently far from the back of said top to la1- low .a desk telephone or other device of similar proportions to rest thereon; `a projection at either end of said top, said projections extending up from said top a distance somewhat less than the height of an ordinary telephone, extending along the whole length lof either edge, and being provided with grooves on the inner sides thereof,- said grooves registering at one end with said slot and extending down at their forward 10 end to a point near said top; a curtain slid'- close said slot when said curtain is slid back through said slot.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California,

this 1st day of February, 1916.

FREDERICK R. FRITSHANS. 

